A J.R.R. Tolkien biopic is in the works from the same producers who brought the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies to the big screen, and it’s found its director.

James Strong, the British director behind much of Downton Abbey and Broadchurch, has been signed up to bring a screenplay by Black List screenwriter Angus Fletcher to the screen.

Fletcher’s script was developed over the course of 6 years via the use of in-depth interviews and will focus on the events in Tolkien’s life that led the famous author to pen The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.

Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne, formerly collaborators with Peter Jackson and his vision of Tolkien’s work at New Line Cinema, will produce the movie via Unique Features, with Protagonist Pictures handling international sales.

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